Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a pressure sensing assembly for structural health monitoring systems.
Description of the Related Art
As is known, structural-health monitoring (SHM), namely monitoring of the state of structural integrity, in particular, of concrete buildings, specifies the use of sensors of various natures, such as pressure sensors, strain gauges, temperature sensors, and so forth. The sensors are connected in communication with a sensing station, where the measurements made are monitored, analyzed, and stored.
Some of the sensors, for instance pressure sensors and/or strain gauges, may be advantageously embedded in the concrete at reference positions to keep the state of stress of the material under control or at least suitably monitored. Pressure sensors currently available to be embedded in concrete are normally provided by regions of piezoresistive material deposited on a membrane or a substrate that may undergo deformation as a result of the pressure applied. The regions of piezoresistive material may be applied directly on the membrane using thick-film screen-printing techniques and may be connected in Wheatstone-bridge configuration.
Known sensors present, however, some limitations, in particular with regards to sensitivity in certain operating ranges. For instance, in conditions of relatively low pressure (a few megapascals) the sensitivity may not be sufficient to enable measurements to be carried out with the precision specified for the purposes of structural monitoring.